'I'm From Cincy ... Every Game Is Personal' - New Bengals Additions Eager to Perform Against Steelers

Two of the newest Bengals defenders are eager to get their first taste of the Cincinnati-Pittsburgh rivalry this week. FOX19 spoke with Bryan Cook and Dexter Lawrence on Thursday as the duo tries to keep the Bengals' great defensive start rolling this week.

Cook, a Cincinnati native, is ready for this "personal" game to get even more intense in the AFC North.

"I'm from Cincy, and my jersey says Cincinnati on it. So every game is personal a little bit," Cook told the media. "You know what I'm saying? Not just playing for me. I'm playing for my family. I'm playing for these guys' families in here as well. So every game is like that. But this game definitely has a little more juice to it, just because it's actually divisional survival, things like that. But for me, man, every time I get the opportunity to put on a jersey, man, it's a blessing."

Cook has played solid so far, ranking sixth on the defense in Pro Football Focus grade, while Lawrence has been arguably the best defensive player in football, ranking first on that list with a 91 overall grade.

He is bringing his trash talk to Pittsburgh this weekend. Another big performance could be on deck.

"I guess it kind of just comes naturally," Lawrence said about being a trash talker on the field. "Yeah, it just happens. I don't know what's going to be said, or when it's going to be said; it just happened ... I really didn't know what was going to be put out there, so I didn't have any expectations. It's like another day in the shop for real. Just trying to do my job and just be who I know I can be."

The two players have been home-run additions so far as Cincinnati tries to stay atop the AFC North and conference standings this weekend. They kickoff against the Steelers at 1 p.m. ET.

Check out both their thoughts below and the trash talk from Lawrence:

"My jersey says Cincinnati. So, every game is personal for me. But, this game definitely has more juice."

Bryan Cook is pumped for his first game against the Steelers with Cincinnati on his chest. #Bengals @FOX19 pic.twitter.com/W7oGWRCEUE
— Jeremy Rauch (@FOX19Jeremy) September 24, 2026

"I guess it kind of just comes naturally, being a competitor."

Had the chance to ask Dexter Lawrence about his in-game trash talk following his mic'd up moment in Houston as well as the chance to get off to a 3-0 start in Pittsburgh this Sunday. #Bengals @FOX19 pic.twitter.com/CZRhqFTG0i
— Gabi Sorrentino (@GSorrentinoTV) September 24, 2026

“Imma back it up every time.”

Next up: #CINatPIT on Sept 27 at 1:00 PM on CBS/Paramount+ pic.twitter.com/ESyJYchM7P
— Cincinnati Bengals (@Bengals) September 21, 2026

For more on the Bengals, subscribe to our YouTube Channel and be sure to check us out on your favorite audio platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio, and Amazon. Bookmark BengalsTalk.com for the latest Bengals news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns, and more! We're a one-stop shop for all things Cincinnati Bengals! Join the 67,000+ Bengals fans who subscribe to us on YouTube.

Add us as a preferred source on Google